Disclaimer: This posting is intended to identify candidates for the Due Diligence Approval & Advisory Lead (internal job title) role. The external title, Financial Crime Due Diligence and Advisory Lead, has been used to better reflect the nature of the position and attract a broader pool of external qualified candidates whose experience aligns with the role's requirements
What's The Role
As the Due Diligence Approvals and Advisory Lead, you will be a senior authority within the Counterparty Lifecycle Management (CLCM) Centre of Excellence, responsible for leading global decision-making on complex Counterparty Due Diligence (DD) and Financial Crime Risk matters. Reporting to the Head of CLCM Execution, you will lead of the global Counterparty DD Approvals, Advisory and Screening teams within Shell Business Operations (SBO), exercising approval authority in line with the T&S Manual of Authority (MOA). You will oversee due diligence approvals across all risk levels for new onboarding, periodic and trigger-based reviews, review Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) assessments, provide risk recommendations for T&S Senior Management approval, and ensure appropriate approval and escalation pathways are followed for higher-risk cases.
Acting as the senior focal point for Financial Crime Due Diligence and Risk within the SBO CLCM KYC community, you will serve as a trusted advisor to the CLCM COE, T&S business and Compliance teams on complex and escalated cases. Working closely with Senior Management, Compliance and business stakeholders, you will help drive risk-based decision-making, ensure quality governance outcomes, and strengthen Shell's financial crime risk management framework. In addition, you will play a key role in connecting the first line of defence (LOD1) CLCM COE and second line of defence (LOD2) Compliance teams by sharing insights, driving continuous improvement initiatives, promoting learning and awareness, and fostering a strong culture of compliance, operational excellence and risk management across the counterparty lifecycle.
What You'll Be Doing
- Build, engage, and lead a global community of highly skilled and experienced advisors and specialists.
- Lead the execution of Counterparty Due Diligence (DD), screening, and risk escalation activities, ensuring compliance with the T&S Financial Crime Policy, associated standards, procedures, and service level expectations.
- Exercise approval authority for DD reviews and risk assessments, ensuring consistent, risk-based decision-making across onboarding, periodic reviews, trigger-based reviews, and enhanced due diligence (EDD) cases.
- Serve as the senior Financial Crime Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the CLCM COE, providing expert guidance on complex, high-risk, and escalated cases to KYC teams and business stakeholders.
- Review and challenge Due Diligence risk assessments, ensuring risks associated with counterparties and their activities are appropriately identified, assessed, documented, and escalated in line with the T&S Manual of Authority (MOA).
- Provide advice on the interpretation and application of Financial Crime policies, standards, and procedures, including the evaluation of exceptions and non-standard scenarios.
- Lead the management and resolution of significant risk, compliance, and operational escalations arising from DD reviews, screening activities, and counterparty onboarding processes.
- Partner closely with Trade Compliance and Screening teams to oversee the effective functioning of screening tools and ensure the timely resolution of Sanctions, Adverse Media, Politically Exposed Persons and other screening-related issues.
- Build and strengthen Financial Crime and KYC capabilities across the CLCM COE through coaching, mentoring, knowledge sharing, and the development and delivery of targeted training programs.
- Collaborate with Compliance, Business Integration, Assurance Managers, Legal, Finance, Audit, and other key stakeholders to enhance financial crime risk management and support effective governance.
- Act as a Financial Crime SME in transformation, process improvement, and continuous improvement initiatives, driving greater effectiveness, consistency, and operational excellence across the counterparty lifecycle.
- Support the Head of CLCM Execution and T&S Compliance on investigations, strategic projects, and regulatory or risk management initiatives requiring specialist Financial Crime expertise.
- Serve as delegate for the Head of CLCM Execution, representing the function in governance forums, stakeholder engagements, and decision-making discussions as required.
What You Bring
- Extensive senior experience managing KYC, CDD, and/or EDD teams and risk approvals and providing expert advice within a financial crime compliance environment.
- Degree-qualified, with AML, Financial Crime, or Compliance certifications considered an advantage.
- Strong knowledge of global financial crime regulations and KYC compliance requirements.
- Demonstrated ability to apply a risk-based approach to EDD reviews, including cases involving PEPs, high-risk jurisdictions, sanctions exposure, and other elevated-risk counterparties.
- Knowledge of global energy markets (Oil, Gas, Power, and Carbon) and financial markets is desirable.
- Proven leadership experience with a demonstrated ability to motivate, develop and drive performance and encourage positive team dynamics.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to influence stakeholders and build effective relationships across all levels of the organization.
- Strong analytical and critical-thinking capabilities, with the ability to assess complex information, identify risks, and provide clear, practical recommendations.
- High levels of integrity, sound judgment, and professionalism, with a strong commitment to compliance and ethical decision-making. Integrity is a core value within the Financial Crime team and essential to success in this role.
